i thought i'd start out with one of my staple recipes. it's a basic one and most people probably know how to make chicken soup but i wanted to begin simply. i make this at least once a month. i'm a huge fan of soup, especially if it has chicken in it and this one is incredibly easy & very flexible. feel free to substitute your favorite herbs or add additional vegetables. one of my favorites to add is rutabaga but if you add it, make sure to put it in the water before any other veggies because it takes longer to cook. here's the basic ingredient list to jump off from.
4 chicken breast (or a whole chicken, cut in peices) 4 large potatoes (or about 6 small ones) 6 carrots 2 onions 3-5 cloves of garlic (depending on how much you like garlic) 1 tbs. oregano 1 tsp. marjoram 1 tsp. celery salt salt & pepper to taste
in a medium sized stock pot (mine's about 8 inches in diameter), drop the chicken and marjoram in about 6 inches of water. boil for 25 minutes. while the chicken is boiling, cut up the potatoes & carrots. i like big chunks but i think this is a personal preference thing, it's up to you. smaller pieces will cook faster.
about halfway thru the boiling time, heat a tablespoon or two of olive oil in a saute-type pan over medium heat. chop the onions & dice the garlic. sweat the onions until they are translucent then add the garlic for a light brown (but be careful not to let it burn).
when the chicken is done, remove it from the pot & set aside to cool slightly. add the celery salt & oregano to the stock. now would be the time to add rutabaga or turnip if you choose & let them boil for about 10 minutes before adding the rest of your vegetables. add the potatoes, carrots, onion & garlic & bring back up to a boil. then cover & drop it down to medium to simmer until the big veggies are fork tender, stirring occasionally. i don't like celery but if you do, drop some in. dice up the chicken & drop it back in after the veggies have cooked about 10 minutes. cooked or canned mushrooms, frozen peas, frozen corn or any number of other soft veggies can be added in about the last 5 minutes, just enough for them to get cooked thru.
salt & pepper can be added during cooking (i add some before i boil the chicken) or when you serve it. i usually put in less than i think it needs so that diners can add it to their taste.
one thing i add when i have the urge is drop dumplings. they are SO easy & add a great flavorful heartiness that crackers just can't match. i use a recipe from a classic cookbook that everyone must have. seriously, stop reading now & go out and get this. here's how to make the dumplings:
combine 2/3 cup flour, 1 tsp. baking powder, 1/8 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. dried basil. combine 1/4 cup milk & 2 tbs. oil then pour it into the flour mixture & stir until just combined. after your veggies are just about done, drop in the dumpling mixture a heaping tablespoon at a time. they will initially sink to the bottom, don't worry, they'll come right back up. cover & simmer over low heat for 10 to 12 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in a dumpling comes out clean.
if you try the recipe, let me know what you think. this is one i made up by trial & error, using different vegetables & herbs each time. if you are feeding one or two people, it makes enough that you'll have leftovers for a day or too (it reheats nicely). if you're making it for a group, this recipe will serve at least 8-10 people.
i haven't worked out my rating system yet but this recipe doesn't really need one. it's so basic, easy & versatile... and it's not like 99% of the population hasn't had chicken soup at one time or another. there's really no surprises here. i hope you like it! be sure to let me know what you think.
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